From the preface

It's this incredible rush! It's like getting something for nothing!

Statistics reveal that most people who shoplift do so not out of economic need or greed but in response to pressures and emotional issues in their lives. "Something for Nothing" is a disease that affects millions. Whether this is a particularly American phenomenon begs to be studied but this problem pervades the planet.

We are living in the age of Winona Ryder and Enron. Anger and skepticism toward thievery abound. But this is not a book about Winona or Enron. There is something else going on besides simple greed. People try to get ahead at any cost. People feel it's never enough. It's beyond money. It's beyond dollars and cents. It's beyond sense.

It seems we, individually and collectively, feel an increasing emptiness.

The simplistic notion that shoplifting and stealing are merely legal or moral issues is wrong. There appears to be more dishonesty than ever these days; yet, tougher laws, more sophisticated security systems, and endless moralism haven't reduced these offenses. In fact, they're on the rise. Stealing, particularly shoplifting, can and often does become addictive.